Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 DOVER, Del. – The University of Hartford softball team dropped a pair of decisions in day two of the Hornets Invitational, falling 9-1 to Lehigh in eight innings to start the day before suffering a 4-1 loss to host team Delaware State in the final contest. The Hawks, who drop to 2-9 on the season, conclude the Invitational with two more games tomorrow. Up first is a single game with Lehigh at 11 a.m. before a 1:15 p.m. matchup against the Hornets.

Sophomore Sawyer Fried combined for a 2-of-4 day at the plate, scoring Hartford's lone two runs of the afternoon. Just four other Hawks managed to record hits on the day as Hartford was outhit as a team, 17-6.

Senior Zuzana Kudernatschova took the loss against the Mountain Lions, allowing nine runs – six earned – on eight hits while issuing four walks. She recorded a strikeout in four innings inside of the circle. Junior Ana Alberti earned the start in game two, allowing three earned runs in 4.1 innings against the Hornets.

In the afternoon's second game, Hartford took an early lead against the host-team. After opening the contest with back-to-back ground outs, Fried doubled to left center field and went on to provide her team with the quick advantage after junior Jackie Kelly reached on an infield error in the next at-bat.

That 1-0 score stood through four innings as the Hawks held the Hornets to just three hits and seven total base runners during that span, keeping Delaware State without a scoring threat. That changed in the home half of the fifth frame, though, as the Hornets plated three runs on four total hits. With runners on first and second, Rochelle Sablay singled in the game-tying run before a one out base hit with runners on the corners by Tara Tursellino brought in the go-ahead and eventual game-winning run in Stamps. Another RBI single off the bat of Hawthorne made it a 3-1 contest before the inning ended.

The Hawks threatened to get runs back in the top of the sixth, as Jenice Aloyo and Jackie Kelly reached on a pair of singles, but senior Chelsey Mooney was forced into a groundout to end the inning.

Delaware State added one more run to its count in the following frame as Sablay was issued a bases loaded walk to extend the advantage to 4-1. Rachel Meagley earned the win for the Hornets, conceding just one walk on one hit while issuing one walk. Throwing the final two innings, Vanessa Ciocatto was granted the save.

In the first game of the day, Lehigh opened up the contest by scoring five runs in the first inning. Adding a single run in the bottom of the second and two more in the third to push ahead, 8-0, Fried scored Hartford's lone run of the game in the top of the fourth. Leading off the frame with a single to left field, the catcher reached second and took third on a pair of ground outs. With Marisa Ferguson at bat, she then stole home to close the gap to seven runs.

It was too little too late, though, as the Mountain Hawks extended their lead back to eight in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI double by Emma Capetz. Unable to close the gap in the top of the fifth, the contest was called via the mercy rule.